Plantskydd is a proven effective rabbit repellant, and provides plants
with up to 6 months of protection over winter on ornamental shrubs and
3 months on most other succulent broadleaf plants.
June Hutson, Missouri Botanical Garden
June Hutson is the Supervisor of the Kemper Demonstration Gardens at
the Missouri Botanical Garden. She has worked at the facility for
27 years, in horticulture and currently as a field supervisor. She
manages 8 acres of the 79-acre facility, where twenty-three distinct themed
residential-scale gardens are exhibited at the Center for Home Gardening.
Hutson claims what is most difficult about her management position is
"keeping the gardens in pristine condition at all times." She notes
that having rabbits and squirrels nibbling away at the displays does not
make her job easier. The animals are attracted by tasty treats, such
as of green beans, basil, cone flowers, balloon flowers and any species
of violet.
The facility staff have had to be vigilant in watching for any signs
of damage, and have been dedicated to "stopping [browse damage] before
it takes a foothold." This has been possible through "constant observation"
and treating vulnerable plants prone to rabbit damage with Plantskydd Deer
and Rabbit repellant. When the directions are followed correctly,
Hutson says animals will not return to the treated plant.
Rabbit repellants can be very effective in curbing the year-round browse
damge. In the summer the animals feed on succulent green plants and in
the winter on buds, twigs, and bark of trees and shrubs. Occasionally,
rabbits eat the growing plants in home gardens. In winter they can destroy
or injure ornamental shrubs, fruit trees, or berry bushes around the home.
When applied properly, rabbit repellants will make the plants undesirable
to the animals.
A recent study conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center investigating
the efficacy of deer repellants concluded that:
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“…Studies investigating trends in efficacy of [animal] repellants indicate
that, of the 20 products tested, repellants with active ingredients that
emitted sulfurous odors i.e.: bloodmeal or egg solids, generally provided
better results…
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“Products that contained active ingredients which cause pain/irritation
(capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate), or illness (thiram) were less effective…”
(USDA/APHIS, Olympia, WA)
"The most notable reward [of effective plant protection] is that
no animal was harmed and gardening with nature may be a possibility,”
says Hutson. Obviously, because growing plants is our business and
the public looks towards us to solve all problems, we are always on point.
Our gardens can demonstrate how plants are eaten by animals, but is it
up to us to show methods to control such activity.
September, 2003
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